[Quantitative and functional changes of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in dogs with dehydromonocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the quantitive and functional changes of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in dogs with dehydromonocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH).


METHODS
Dehydromonocrotaline was injected into the canine right ventricle to induce pulmonary hypertension. Circulating EPCs were enumerated as AC+(113), KDR+ cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorter using counting beads, and the number and activity of EPCs after in vitro expansion were determined by acLDL uptake/lectin staining assay and in vitro tubule forming assay.


RESULTS
Nine of the 10 beagles survived after dehydromonocrotaline injection. Six weeks later, mean pulmonary artery pressure increased from (11.3 +/- 2.0) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) to (20.2 +/- 1.6) mm Hg (t =10.307, P < 0.01), and the AC+(133) and KDR+ cells decreased from (632.8 +/- 42.8) cells/ml to (206.1 +/- 26.8) cells/ml (t = 25.361, P < 0.01). UEA- I and DiLDL positive cells deceased from (41 +/- 6) EPCs/ x 200 field to (22 +/- 6) EPCs/ x 200 field (t = 6.510, P < 0.01). In addition, in vasculogenesis assay, PAH EPCs formed less quantitative (11.2 +/- 2.8 vs 21.1 +/- 2.8 tubules/ x 200 field, respectively, t = 7. 583, P <0. 01) and less qualitive tubules than baseline EPCs.


CONCLUSIONS
The number and vessel forming ability of EPCs are impaired in this canine model of dehydromonocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.
Zeng
Chun-Lai
CL
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Xia
Liang
L
Ma
Cai-Yan
CY
Liu
Shan-Kuan
SK
Hu
Xiao-Sheng
XS
Wang
Xing-Xiang
XX
Chen
Jun-Zhu
JZ
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016686:Monocrotaline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*
C014114:monocrotaline pyrrole; D016686:Monocrotaline